Transformers Prime: The Forgotten Warriors
by Auto-Buscus
Summary: A new team of Autobots, while being persued by an raged bounty hunter, heeds the call of Optimus Prime to Earth. Join the Autobots as they discover what they've been missing the last several years, and how things have changed in their absence. Will the Autobots make it out alive?


**_The New Mission_**

_I am former Sergent Ironhide of the Autobots on Cybertron. For the last few decades, myself and a squad of Autobots have been traveling from galaxy to galaxy, searching for Energon hidden on non-inhabited planets, in hopes of aiding Optimus Prime in the great war against the Decepticons. However, in one of our attempts to collect Engergon, we were confronted by Decepticon foot soldiers. We were all able to escape, but our navigation systems were greatly damaged in our escape attempt. So we roam from galaxy to galaxy, searching for signs of Autobot victory. We have been traveling space for far too long..._

* * *

><p>A large cargo ship, carrying stockpiles of energon soared through the endless void known as space. Occasionally, they'd encounter a planet or a build-up of space rocks or a wreck-age of a vessel, previously piloted by either Autobot or Decepticon, with no trace of life left in them.<p>

Inside, the crew stirred. In wait of the encounter of either a friendly ship or for repairs to finish on their navigation systems, the Autobot crew either powered down or stayed watch in case of another unfriendly confrontation.

Ironhide, a large robust mech, red in color with large cannons on his arms, stood at the window of the ship, looking onward through the stars for any signs of hope. As long as they didn't go through their massive pile of energon, they'd be fine in terms of surviving, he thought to himself. But in terms of sanity, due to lack of anything to do, was what worried him. He observed his crew already getting uneasy over the duration of the voyage. But in his experience, and years of combat he found that Autobots, his young crew particularly were a reseiliant bunch. They've been through worse than chronic boredom.

His optics turned toward a small Autobot black and white colored mech named Prowl. This was one who Ironhide saw as the last likely one to go insane, should it happen. Being trained by a wise cyber ninja, Prowl knew how to meditate when he was stressed or worried, or when he just needed some time to think. Prowl was very wise beyond his years, and was often of great service to Ironhide in terms of keeping order in his ship and on the battlefield.

His optics then turned to a yellow femme bot, who was bigger than the average femme. Her name was Lifeline. Her skills on the operating table were something that Ironhide had come to appreciate. During the years that they had traveled together, Ironhide alone had benefited from her medical expertise as he'd often faced their toughest of adversaries alone, leaving any foot-soldier to his subordinates. This resulted in many first aid treatments and on a few occasions, cosmic surgery. Though tough ol' Ironhide was as stated, he knew he'd be lost without her fiery stubborn self keeping him patched up.

He redirected his sights toward the front control system where he noted the repairs under the constant work of a small minicon that he'd rescued on Cybertron from Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons' surveillance chief Soundwave. His name was Bebo and he and Ironhide had been close ever since. Bebo was a small skinny purple colored minicon mech, who had three wheels instead of legs, as well as one pair of arms in the front and on his back, and a rotating head that allowed him to work in both directions. While Ironhide usually didn't respond well to over the top peppiness and wired up attitudes from his subordinates, he viewed Bebo like his own spark-ling and had sort of a soft spot for him, like a father would.

A flickering from the screen of the navigation system caught Ironhide's attention, as well as the rest of the crew. Excitement filled the main room as the Autobots' navigation systems were now back online.

"Well done, Bebo!" shouted Ironhide, congratulating him.

"It should be fine, now! Heh heh heh heh, all in a day's work." he said cracking his finger servos, then tried to unhook his head from the connection cord.

"Took ya longer than a day, pipsqueak." retorted Lifeline.

"How's about I break it again and see how fast youz can do it, eh?" he snapped back.

"Take it easy, Bebo." commanded Ironhide. "We're all just a bit excited by your accomplishment, is all. Now I want each of you to man your stations, because-" he was cut off as a message appeared on the screen, which appeared to be locked into Bebo's brain. "Bebo, don't unhook yourself just yet!"

"What is it?" he asked.

"There's a message... from Optimus Prime!"

"Who knows how old that could be..." said Prowl. "Especially since our communications have been down for so long."

"It doesn't matter. Play it now!" said an excited Ironhide, eager to hear what his old friend had to say.

"You da boss!" acknowldged Bebo as he played the message.

_"This is Optimus Prime,_

_To all surviving Autobots who hear this message, I ask you to join me in a remote corner of the galaxy on a small planet, rich with energon. I have reason to believe this world will soon become a new target of Decepticon conquest. Our team is small, but strong. Join me at these coordinates so that we might plan our resistance._

_Safe journeys."_

"Optimus needs backup!" said Ironhide. "We need to set course for this small planet, and meet up with him. Our journey is finally almost over."

"You don't think this might be a trap?" said Prowl. "You never know if this message was fabricated by Decepticons and used to lure us into a death sentence."

"But we can't afford not to heed the call, either." pointed Lifeline. "But in any case, it's your call, Sergent."

Ironhide pondered the thought only a few seconds. "Either way, if there are Autobots in danger we must destroy their Decepticon captors and free them, and if not it will be great to finally end this voyage and re-join my old friend. We're going!"

"Good enough for me!" said Bebo. "Time to go kick some Decepticon aft!"

As the team began to get fired up with excitement, a something made impact with the ship, making it rock, nearly causing all of the members to fall over. When the rocking ceased, Ironhide ran to the front of the ship, looked out the window and noticed a familiar space craft facing them. The one that they had faced during an earlier Energon gathering operation. In their previous encounter with this craft, they never came in contact with the commander of the ship, but they did make a mess of the foot soldiers that were thrown at them. This was undoubtedly a retaliation.

"Scrap!" he exclaimed. "Man the turrets! It's our "friend" from our last stop! And they appear to be angry. Let's not stick around and see what he wants. Bebo, take control of the ship. You know how to get us out of here."

"But this ship is so large compared to theirs. There's no way we can out run them and stay in one piece."

"We're going to have to try. In the mean time focus your efforts on the coordinates that Optimus gave us, and do not lose them."

"Aye aye, Skipper!" replied the chipper minicon as he followed orders and returned his optics to the navigation screen.

"Lifeline, you and Prowl take the turrets." he commanded before climbing up a ladder leading to the top of the ship.

"Where are you going?" inquired Lifeline, as she started down into the cockpit of one of the turrets.

"Where I work the best!" he replied as he climbed up to the hatch that led to outside on top of the ship.

"Ironhide's lost his mind!" she exclaimed.

"He knows what he's doing, Lifeline! He's a professional" noted Prowl, a veteran on the front line. "Now focus your efforts on blasting this ship down!" He pointed at the enemy ship that looked as eerie as the horror stories from Kaon had been told.

* * *

><p>Once on top, the large hulking Autobot stood in stance, prepped his cannons and prepared to meet some foot soldiers again. And as expected, they rained down from the enemy ship above, landed on the ship and proceeded to try to tear into the ship.<p>

"Not on my watch!" said Ironhide as he blasted the robotic menaces to oblivion. Choosing to also whack them with the cannons he shot from, as well as crushing them with his arms, kicking them down with his legs, anything he could do to get rid of them, as they flew down in their Cybertronian jet modes. He momentarily studied one that he had just dispatched and noticed a faint Decepticon symbol. Of course, he thought to himself. What else would it be?

Another thing he noticed about these is that they looked like vehicon soldiers that had been in the service of Megatron, and they were welded together, as if they were taken out of a scrap heap and 'recycled' into undead henchmen. The thought disgusted Ironhide. Sure they were his enemies, but the thought of this made him angry. These were once living sentient beings. Why would they be brought back to life, just to get killed yet again?

As he continued to blast, punch, kick, throw them at each other, anything he could think of to get rid of the menaces, with the firing of turrets and cannons from both of the ships in the background, a large thump that he heard from behind only meant one thing. A bigger foe, who had ridden on the back of one of the vehicons and jumped off onto the ship near Ironhide. He turned around to see a slimmer looking mech staring back at him, as a large explosion caused by a blast from his own ship hitting near where he stood, happened behind him, making his face look even more scary than it already was. This particular mech's head was rounded, not tall and skinny like his foot soldiers were and his eyes were a bright yellow in color as opposed to the vehicons he used for his foot soldiers. The metal on his body was black, he noticed some decorative stripes as well as a painting of a cybertronian skull painted on his chest. His right hand was missing, being replaced by a large hook. This could only be one Cybertronian that he knew of. The notoriously vile rogue Decepticon known as Lockdown, who was a known bounty hunter.

"Lockdown... we finally meet." said Ironhide. "Your reputation certainly precedes you. Though I pictured you a little taller."

"Your reputation precedes you as well, Ironhide." snarled Lockdown. "I'm afraid that I cannot allow your legacy to continue, however."

"I wish I could oblige you, but I do need to keep living. I'm carrying precious cargo."

"Which I want!" returned Lockdown, after which he eyed Ironhide's arm cannons. "Your weapons will make a fine trophy as well. I've always been a fan of large cannons."

"These cannons would weigh down a schmuck with scrawny arms like you, Lockdown. You don't have the brass to wield these weapons!" Ironhide said as he reloaded the cannons in question.

"You'd be surprised as to what I "have the brass" to do, Ironhide."

"I can tell... You'd even go as far as to desecrate the bodies of your fallen comrades to bring them back to life."

"Desecrate is a harsh word. I like to think of it as giving them a second chance to not be completely worthless."

"You disgust me!" Ironhide said as he spat at Lockdown's feet.

"You'd be surprised what Dark Energon can accomplish. Provided you can handle it..." clearly ignoring Ironhide's disrespect towards him.

Ironhide was baffled at this claim. So dumbstruck in fact, that it took him a few nano clicks to process it all.

"D-Dark energon? You're lying! No bot has ever been able to control Dark Energon!"

"So it _is _possible to psych out the Mighty Ironhide..." chuckled Lockdown. "Unfortunately for you, your information is so wrong... It is possible, and extremely effective."

"That's it! I've heard enough! Time to end this once and for all!"

Ironhide stood into his battle stance and prepped his cannons once again, and waited for Lockdown to make his first move, as Decepticons normally do, still within the faction or not.

Lockdown only chuckled maniacally, and stood in an attack stance as well.

"Today will be known as the day Lockdown took down the _Mighty_ Ironhide!" he shouted before taking the first strike, which Ironhide in turn blocked and seized the opportunity to grab him by the arm and swing him off behind him, making quick movements to face him yet again.

"Lucky shot, but you won't be so lucky this time!" he said using an EMP blaster to shoot at Ironhide. Ironhide doing the best he could not to fall off the ship dodged each blast that Lockdown shot at him.

"That weapon...doesn't belong to you!" he said before charging at him. He was correct in that statement. The EMP blaster was a weapon unique to a bot he knew well. Ratchet, his old friend. Thinking that he might have killed Ratchet to get it, Ironhide became even more furious. Making Ironhide mad is never a good idea, especially not in a fight.

He screamed as he swung his left arm high, missing Lockdown's face. He then shot at his leg, hitting it and halting Lockdown momentarily.

"You're certainly living up to your reputation, Ironhide. You should be proud!" Lockdown smirked, before deploying yet another stolen weapon, this time replacing his left hand(the only hand he had now) with a mace. He swung it around in attempt to hit Ironhide with it.

After a few missed attempts, and Ironhide dodging the offensive moves, he finally struck him, and knocked him back. Ironhide fell on his back on the large cargo ship, and had to grab a handlebar to keep from rolling off. He had trouble, though. Lockdown was inching closer to him, and if he successfully pried his hand off of the handlebar, he would be lost to deep space, possibly forever. Ironhide held on for dear life and braced himself for pain as he saw Lockdown raise his hook-hand to strike him.

Lockdown's strike was interrupted, however by a sudden blunt force strike to the head from behind. Lockdown was now the one falling down, and when he did, Prowl was revealed to be Ironhide's saviour in that moment. Ironhide took the chance Prowl had provided him and tossed the stunned Lockdown off of the top of the ship, leaving him careening into deep space.

Prowl reached down and grabbed Ironhide's hand and pulled him back up, allowing Ironhide to re-magnify his feet to the metal surface.

"Much appreciated, Prowl." he said putting his hand on his comrade's shoulder.

"We've got to stick together, my friend. Besides, it was great to give that cyber creep a well deserved whack on the head."

Ironhide only chuckled as he lead his subordinate back down the hatch leading to inside the ship.

Meanwhile, while Lockdown floated in space, he commanded that the ship retrieve him. As well as an assault shot at the Autobot's cargo ship by sending the message on his communicator on his arm. The ship complied and fired a large blast at the Autobot ship's right engine, causing the large freighter to lose speed.

"Scrap!" shouted Bebo inside with the others. "We're toast now!"

"Maybe not yet." said Ironhide. "Remember that button that I told you to never ever push under any circumstances?"

"You mean the hyper-drive button?"

"Yeah that's the one. This time, it's completely necessary. We need to put as much distance between us and him as possible. Lock on to our target coordinates and proceed. Quickly before he shoots our other engine out!"

"You got it, boss!" complied Bebo. "Hold on to your weapons and other loose articles, mechs and femmes! This is going to be crazy!" He shouted once more before performing the task given. The ship took off and quickly left out of range of Lockdown's ship. "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeah ha ha ha ha!" his excitement could be heard echoing through space as the ship rocketed off, leaving the enemy forces behind.

"Curses!" yelled Lockdown out of frustration and still floating in space in wait of his nearing space craft to pick him up. "When next we meet, Autobots... you're all dead!" He angrily clinched his fists.

* * *

><p>"Coming onto the coordinates that Optimus Prime gave us, boss." said Bebo, as he eyed the screen. "It looks exactly like the map in the message."<p>

"Excellent!" replied Ironhide. "Our time is nearing."

As they neared the planet that they'd been patiently waiting the last few hours to reach, a spark of disaster happened. More like an explosion of disaster. The engine that had been used to get them there was beginning to fail fast, as the engine that got shot by Lockdown's ship became a fiery inferno.

"Brace yourselves once again, guys!" said Bebo, grabbing the steering control of the ship. "It looks like we're going to be in for a rough landing."

Ironhide, Lifeline and Prowl held onto whatever they could, while waiting for the ship to make impact to the ground. They thought they had, but it was just the turbulence they felt when they entered into the planet's atmosphere.

"That wasn't it." noted Prowl, when Lifeline began to look relieved. "That was just the atmosphere."

"Scrap!" she said, grabbing back on to the rail she'd been clutching with her fists.

As they got closer and closer to the ground, their engine finally let up and they were now relying on the ship gliding to the ground, as well as Bebo's renowned flying skills for a more smoother landing.

The ship got closer to the ground and began to kiss it violently before snagging it's self after a few rubs to the ground. The ship dragged for about a mile before it stopped in the middle of a forest.

"What a surprisingly orderly landing..." said Prowl. "For a crash landing, that is.

"Good work, Bebo!" praised Lifeline, giving him a thumbs up. "That was some hefty skill you just showed there."

"Aaaw, shucks!" Bebo said shuffling one of his wheels on the ground in a bashful fashion, responding to the praise.

"Once again you come through." smiled Ironhide as he started out the door, motioning the others to join him.

"Ironhide" said Lifeline, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around to listen to what she had to say. "What was all of that back there, who was that?"

"That, Lifeline, was Lockdown. An ex-Decepticon. And he's more dangerous than almost any Decepticon out there. He has literally no boundaries that he's willing to go through to get what he wants. Not even Megatron or Starscream are as sadistic as he is; even they have consciences. Which is why I pray that he did not follow us, or the inhabitants on this planet will surely be in peril."

"There's not much we could have done about it, Ironhide." said Prowl. "But know this, if he knows where we are I am willing to lay my own spark on the line to stop him."

"As am I" said Lifeline.

"Me too." proclaimed Bebo.

Ironhide nodded in agreement. "Very well then. Nothing will deter us from our mission, not even Lockdown. Autobots, move out."

When they went outside and walked a bit until they found a highway, they noticed a semi truck with a car carrying trailer driving by on a highway that ran by as they hid in the trees. "And this place has vehicles. Choose one that suits you the best, and we will begin our search for the Autobots currently residing on this planet."

Prowl complied and was the first to single out his preference as a plolice motorcycle drove by. He scanned it with his eyes and began his transformation, successfully transforming into a police motorcycle.

Lifeline was the next to find hers as she scanned a sleek yellow sports car that resembled that of a Porsche that drove by, and she began her transformation and transformed into a yellow sports car that had a medic symbol on both doors.

Ironhide was the last of the three to do so as he scanned a large diesel truck that drove by their location, and his transformation went off without a hitch.

Now disguised, the Autobots set out to find any sign of an Autobot residing on the planet. Ironhide led the way, but not before allowing Bebo to climb inside of his cab before they took off. Ironhide, Prowl and Lifeline, all in a row drove down the highway in hopes of finding the friends that they had been searching for.

* * *

><p>Outside of the Earth's atmosphere, danger loomed above. Lockdown's ship had managed to find them effortlessly. The disgruntled bounty hunter stood at the front of the space craft scowling down, hating everything about the planet already.<p>

"A dust-ball... It will be reduced to nothing once I tear it apart trying to kill those accursed Autobots!" he shouted furiously, as an Insecticon entered the room. "What is it, Mandible?"

"You requested me to grab your prisoners?" he inquired.

"Yes. Bring them to me." he shouted.

"You remember what happened last time, don't you? They almost escaped and took my face off!"

"Are they wearing their stasis cuffs?"

"Well, yeah but..."

"But nothing! Bring them to me, NOW!"

"Right away, Lockdown." he said as he stumbled out of the room, heading to the prisoner storage.

Lockdown scoffed and looked back down at the dust-ball known as Planet Earth. "Soon I will find out what the big deal is with this planet and why Autobots and Decepticons alike find it so appealing."

Mandible shoved both parties that Lockdown had asked for into his chamber, forcing them both onto their knees. The two jet based Decepticon prisoners didn't respond with words, just with scowling looking up to the bounty hunter. One was a femmebot Decepticon, green wings and head, white body, arms and legs, and terrible red glowing eyes. A former Seeker from the days of Cybertron's war. She bore many similar resemblences to former Decepticon Air Commander Starscream, and for good reason. She was his sister, Slipstream.

Her company was a large mech, light purple in color. His robot mode revealed both jet wings and moving belts from that of a tank, as well as a large honking cannon barrel on his back. A triple changer who went by the name of Blitzwing.

"My Decepticon prisoners. I have a proposition for you." he told them. "You do not get a say in the matter, unfortunately. Unless you consider death an option. In exchange for your loyalty and devotion to helping my cause, I grant you your freedom once again. Failure to comply will result in immediate termination!"

"Freedom?" retorted Slipstream. "Sounds like slavery!"

"It's your choice, Slipstream" snarled Lockdown.

"What is it that you require of us?" inquired Blitzwing.

"A large Autobot cargo ship carrying stockpiles of energon has crash landed here on this planet. I want you to find them, and destroy them all! And salvage as much of the energon as you can. We will need it." informed Lockdown.

"Doesn't sound too hard" she said, "but why do you want us to do it, and not sieze this yourself?"

"No not question me! Just do it!" he shouted. "That is, if you want to live."

"I accept!" shouted Blitzwing. "You had me at Autobots!"

Angered, Slipstream only agreed with her partner due to his ignorance, or at least what _she _considered ignorance. "Fine..."

"Excellent!" said Lockdown. "I'm pleased we could come to an agreement. Mandible, free them."

The Insecticon slowly and nervously inched closer to uncuff the Decepticons from their bonds. Slipstream's piercing stare wasn't helping matters any.

"Today!" she yelled impatiently, making the Insecticon jump.

"Come on Mandible, are you an Insecticon or a minicon?" quipped Blitzwing.

With a gruff grunt, he finally mustered up the courage to unlock both of their stasis cuffs, but quickly darted back behind Lockdown.

"You disgrace yourself, coward..." said Lockdown glaring at his trusted minion, then at the Decepticons. "I don't care about the messes that you make. I don't even care about this giant dust-ball at all. Do what you have to do. Oh yes, and don't even think about double crossing me. By now I have this entire planet wired with countless drones currently searching for my enemies as we speak, and I will find you should you choose to revolt. Got it?"

They both nodded, Slipstream with a scowl as she did so.

"Dismissed!" said Lockdown as he pushed a button which opened a shaft for the Decepticons to fly out. Once they transformed and flew out, Lockdown closed the shaft back, and walked to the control panels of his ship, and turned on the monitors that he'd implanted on both Slipstream and Blitzwing. He then turned to look out the windshield of his ship, down at the planet and scowled.

"You're mine, Autobots, and you will all pay for your arrogance!"

* * *

><p><strong>Notez:<strong>

Well, this is the start of my Transformers Fanfic. I hope that you enjoyed it. Any pointers, praise or eggnog is appreciated.

I know everyone's probably getting tired of Lockdown now, but I thought he'd be a great villain to use in this. Being a big Transformers Animated fan as well, I thought it be cool to mash up the Bayverse and TFA design a bit. You'll also notice that Prowl, Blitzwing and Slipstream are in this story as well. They will also, for the most part be their TFA versions as well. I thought about using Prowl's G1 form, but ah well. And as for Ironhide, this is how I sort of please myself since he wasn't in TFPrime, and in case you are wondering, this is based in the TFPrime universe.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope that you enjoy the future ones! :)

Edited 2/4/15. Chapter 2 shall come soon. I've been working in my head as to what to do with it, and for the most part I have what I want to do in mind already. Hope you enjoy this story as much as I am going to enjoy writing it.

-Auto


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